The Fall
by sunsetbabe17
Summary: Sometimes it happens fast, and sometimes it's gradual. Sometimes it's purposeful, and sometimes it catches you by surprise. But in the end it doesn't matter, you can't stop it and you will fall. It's up to you to make the most of it. Romanogers one-shot set during the Age of Ultron.
Disclaimer: The Avengers belong to Marvel. Alternate ending to The Avengers Age of Ultron with Romanogers.

 **The Fall**

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it." Steve was adamant. This was something that the Avengers had unleashed on this city and it was not fair that innocent people suffered due to their actions.

"I didn't say we should leave. There's worse ways to go," Natasha shrugged. "Where else are we gonna get a view like this."

At her words Steve turned to look at his petite teammate and realized that she probably has stared death in the face many times over her short life. And most of those times she was probably all alone and in the dark. Operating in the shadows like the deadly assassin she was and no one would have noticed or cared that she was gone. This way she went down saving the world, as a hero with her teammates by her side.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. As the leader it was ultimately his call and that was such a weight on his shoulders, but he knew his team would stand by him no matter what he decided.

"Do it," Steve ordered holding Natasha's gaze. She gave him a small encouraging smile in return, "Everyone who can get clear do it now and take any civilians you can with you."

The two looked up at a loud roar and the ground shook as the Hulk landed in front of them, a couple of terrified civilians in his arms. They could faintly hear Tony explaining his plan to Thor over the comms.

Spotting them the Hulk took a step forward however before he could scoop her up in his grasp, Natasha took a step back and slightly shook her head, "take Clint." There was no shred of doubt or hesitation in her voice, her friend had a family he needed to return to and she had promised Laura long ago that she would do whatever she could to keep her husband safe.

Steve took her hand and squeezed giving the Hulk a nod of agreement. The two of them weren't going anywhere.

Clint saw the Hulk bound over to him and grab him. He looked over the Hulk's shoulder at his teammates in confusion before realization dawned on him, "No! Nat! No!" His shouts were swallowed up by the wind as the Hulk took off.

 _BOOM!_

Suddenly they were knocked off their feet and the floating island in the sky was now crumbling apart.

Steve tightened his grip on Natasha and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her as they found themselves free falling with no end in sight.

He frantically looked around for something to hold onto or something to slow their rapid descent.

Natasha pulled back and her green eyes searched his face, noting the fear and the desperation there.

"Hey," she cupped his cheek and forced him to meet her eyes. "It's ok," she reassured him that he had made the right decision.

"No-I…" he shook his head and swallowed, having trouble meeting her eyes and the acceptance in them. He was not afraid to die, had in fact sacrificed himself for this world before or so he thought. But it was different this time. He knowingly doomed teammates, no friends, to share this fate with him.

She silenced him with her lips and he was startled at first but soon responded. The two only pulled apart once air became a necessity. They leaned their foreheads against each other and gasped for air.

"What about Bruce?" Steve knew he hadn't been imagining the flirting that had going on between the two at Stark's party. He had been angry that he had apparently waited too long yet again, but all he wanted was for Natasha to be happy so he was willing to step aside.

"He was fun," and she had enjoyed the adrenaline rush that came with trying to tame the wild beast that was the Hulk. "But I was really just running away from my feelings, my feelings for you Steve," she admitted.

Steve had never seen the women in his arms so vulnerable, not even when SHIELD fell and her whole world fell apart around her. But he supposed imminent death would do that to a person, deathbed confessions and all.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" they could have been together this whole time.

"You deserve better, Steve. You're Captain America, you fight for what's good and right. And I'm the Black Widow, a ruthless killer." She hadn't even realized that she was trying to push him away when she kept setting him up on dates.

He rolled his eyes, "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn and I'm not always right, but I try my best." He smirked, "And maybe that's who you used to be but you've changed, Natasha, I've seen it. You are a good person."

"I love you, Natasha Romanoff and I'm glad that if it had to be anyone here with me, in this moment that it's you." He boldly declared. He wished things could have been different but better late than never. She was the one that helped integrate him into this strange world that he had woken up in and at some point along the way he realized he had fallen for this beautiful woman in his arms.

"I love you too, Steve Rogers." And she doesn't think she's ever meant those words before now. She had been taught that love was for children, but somehow Steve had gotten passed all her walls and she tried to ignore it and run away. The Black Widow was truly afraid by what she was feeling for this one man and how far he had embedded himself in her supposed non-existent heart.

Steve saw the ground rushing up to meet them and flipped so that he would take the brunt of the impact, not that it really mattered at this point as they were falling so fast that there was no way either of them would survive.

He closed his eyes and captured her lips in another searing kiss.

When the two were found later he still had his arms locked around her and she had never looked so peaceful. And he finally looked like he had found his purpose, no longer restless and looking like the man out of time that he was.


End file.
